Shadow Snatcher (3 page)

“It's easy,” I told Death. “You sing the song and the machine judges you. If it shows hearts, it means you're good. Skulls mean you are bad.”

I closed the curtains and turned off all the lights. For a moment it was horribly dark.

“Ready?” I said. “You start.”

Eva held up a torch. A pool of yellow light fell on Death. His huge, black cloak made strange shadows on the wall.

Death started to sing. His voice sounded like two cats fighting.

“
You've got to believe. Really believe
,” sang Death.

A row of three skulls showed on the screen.

“Oh dear!” I said to Death. “That's a terrible score.”

Now it was Eva's turn.

I took the torch from her. She was so scared, her legs were shaking. “Don't worry,” I said.

I put the torch up on the bookshelf. A ring of light shone around Eva. She didn't make a shadow.

Death laughed.

“Stay in the light, Eva,” I said. “Stay in the light and sing the best that you can!”

Eva started to sing.

The moment the music started to play she wasn't scared any more. When she reached the chorus, she was smiling.

Three hearts sparkled on the screen. Top score!

ZAP!

A ball of light shot out of Death's sleeve. Eva ducked just in time.

“You're not playing fair!” I cried.

“Fair?” said Death. “The bet was that
you
could beat me. But it was Eva who sang, not you. You haven't beaten me!”

“Not yet,” I said. But I knew exactly what to do. Death had come to take Eva because she had no shadow … But what if I could lend her mine?

Death raised his arm. He was about to throw another ball of light.

This time I was ready.

“Don't move, Eva!” I cried, and I jumped forward, so I stood between Eva and the torch. My shadow fell across Eva just as Death threw his deadly ball of light.

ZAP!

SMACK!

The ball of white light hit my shadow. It was as if it had hit a wall of bricks.

It bounced back and hit Death right in his chest, exploding like a firework.

Death fell back. His cloak seemed to tear into a million pieces.

Black shadows shot out in every direction.

His cloak was not made of mist. It was made of shadows!

Shadows Death had stolen.

One sleeve of his cloak rose up into the air. It floated towards Eva.

“Help!” yelled Eva.

“Stand still!” I shouted. “It's your shadow. It's coming back to you.”

The shadow touched her. It took the shape of a little girl.

“My shadow!” cried Eva. She waved madly. Behind her on the wall, the shape of her shadow waved back.

“Very clever!” said Death.

“You told me Eva hadn't got a shadow. You said she had nothing to protect herself from you. Now she is safe!” I laughed.

“You have won!” said Death. “For now.”

He vanished.

Eva threw herself into my arms.

“We did it!” I cheered. “We beat Death, Eva. You and me.”

“We beat him with the help of my Max Sounds Singing Machine,” smiled Eva.

Lily saw the giant frogs in the garden. Mum and Dad don't believe her. But Lily knows the frogs are coming to get her. Soon. Maybe even tonight … Can Lily escape the attack of the killer frogs?

ISBN 978-1-4081-5268-3
RRP £5.99

Danny's having a hard time at school. His best mate Ash told everyone about his ballroom dancing, and now he's been banned from the sports trials. How can Ash and Danny prove their skills on the playing field now?

ISBN 978-1-4081-7409-8
RRP £5.99